Thursday, January 16, 2014

Supernatural, Season 9, Episode 10: Road Trip

Sad music plays as Dean does his best sad eyes over a
funeral pyre (as we’ve seen through 9 seasons, hunters usually burn their dead
on a pyre – I suppose it ensures the dead are actually dead), presumably Kevin’s.
Dean mopes around the Wincester cave, really straining to force as much wounded
pathos onto his face as possible (and this is Supernatural they’ve already set records for wounded pathos). He’s
had a lot of practice at it, but Jensen Ackles can certainly pull off angry
grief.

Cut to an apparent rock star who is trying really really
hard to pull off the cool look and meeting… Sam/Gadreel (hereby known as
Samreel) in his dressing room; yes, trying-too-hard guy with the adoring fans
and groupies is an angel – Thaddeus – who used to be Gadreel’s official angelic
torturer. Thaddeus is pretty casual about all this – until Gadreel shows him
the angel blade he has: by Thaddeus.

In the Winchester cave, Castiel arrives (in his
trenchcoat again – angel got his mojo back!) and even his complete lack of any
kind of social grace notices something is up. Dean brings him up to date and
his plan to kill the angel – which may mean killing Sam. Unless they can get
through to Sam and have him evict his angelic squatter; Castiel remembers
Alfie (Semandriel) who told Castiel that Crowley had got to his angelic code.
Maybe they can do the same to Samdreel.

Of course, they need someone who knows about that – Crowley. Who, on learning
of Kevin’s death, is quick to remind Dean how everyone around him eventually
dies. But he will crack their angel for them – but he wants to go on a little
trip (chains on) first. Dean thinks that sounds fairly harmless – Castiel is the
sensible one “it’s Crowley, he can always do something.” Yes yes he can.

Road trip time – in Castiel’s car which “stopped
inexplicably”. Was I the only one who both cringed and grinned at that statement?
Alas, it’s a simple matter of being out of petrol (of course, Crowley mocks Castiel’s
pimp-car. And, yes, “Castiel’s pimp-car” is going to become a fandom staple). The
car is awful – but made up for by an exasperated Dean playing parent to the
bickering demon and angel in the back seat.

The road trip may have consequences though – because one
of Abaddon’s demonic spies spots Crowley.

Samreel reports in to his boss, Metatron at a bar (the
bar man is Gadreel’s last vessel), giving him the tablets he’s retrieved and
reporting on all the death – since Metatron controls Heaven, with Kevin’s death
there will be no more prophets. Samreel isn’t happy that Metatron has more
people to kill (Alexander Sarver this time)

Crowley leads them to a front for an NSA listening post
he’s infiltrated with a demon called Cecily, to use the vast amount of information
to find people to make demonic pacts with –hey it beats waiting for them to
come to you. He speaks to Cecily alone who promptly fills Crowley in on Castiel
being human and then angel again (and acknowledges his awesome sexiness)

As all right thinking people do

And also explains why Castiel has a car now – his wings
are broken, he can’t fly/teleport. She also reassures Crowley that most of Hell
is pretty much in limbo, waiting to see if Abaddon or Crowley wins, only the
most aggressive demons have joined Team Abaddon. And, of course Cecily is
playing both sides, she’s a demon and it’s the only sensible thing to do. She does
tell him where Sam – or the Impala – is though.

Samreel’s target tends out to be the angel Abner – who has
a wife and child and is pretty happy being human, and is also an old friend of
Gadreel’s and former prison-mate (he’s a self-confessed lousy angel). He has
taken the Fall as a chance to start over, clean slate, possessing and abuser to
make the damaged family loving.

Which sounds nice except, later, when Dean arrives he finds Abner dead and
Samreel washing the blood from his hands. Dean is an excellent distraction,
allowing Castiel to punch Samreel in the face and knock him out.

Abaddon checks in with Cicely who happily reports
everything to her, playing both sides and all. Alas, Abaddon just doesn’t
really get this demon thing and is not nearly as forgiving of playing both
sides. Shame, I liked Cicely.

Samreel wakes well and truly restrained and Castiel confirms
that Sam is healed enough not to need an angel any more –though he doesn’t
recognise Gadreel. After all the necessary posturing, it’s down to Crowley to
do his thing; his unpleasant, agonising and very time consuming icky torture
thing.

Dean and Castiel have a bonding moment while dean tries
to distract himself from Crowley sticking needles in his brother’s brain –
reflecting on their mutual being-far-too-trusting-far-too-often problem.
Finally Crowley breaks through and they learn Gadreel’s identity: Castiel is
not a fan of the angel he blames for, well, everything since the dawn of time.
Castiel has Issues with him. Many Issues. Castiel has to be pulled off him by
Dean; now we know how popular Gadreel is in heaven.

Of course the poking isn’t working to get to Sam, Gadreel being rather inured to
torture by now. Time for Plan B – Castiel also possess Sam to tell him the
truth… but Angels can’t possess without permission. Demons can – Crowley volunteers
in exchange for his freedom. Dean is all kinds of suspicious about this – but Crowley
is sharp and clear; he always keeps his bargains. Which is true, he was
actually very angry with demons who didn’t.

Crowley enters the dream Gadreel has trapped Sam in;
thinking he’s hunting ghouls that eat cheerleaders. Crowley quickly proves himself
to Sam by using a codeword of Dean’s and shooting him in the chest – causing no
damage. He pushes Sam to remember everything that’s happened while Gadreel
possessed him; which means he remembers killing Kevin.

Which is when Gadreel shows up (his form that of his original vessel) and
starts beating poor Crowley; until Sam takes over and banishes him. Gadreel
tries to make him worry about his injuries- but Sam was ready to die before, he’s
not going to keep Gadreel in his head for that.

In the bar, an irritated Metatron is waiting of Samreel
to show up – when the bar-tender is repossessed by Gadreel. Crowley returns
home, Sam is back in control – and Abaddon and crew show up. Everyone runs –
leaving Crowley (who is toweringly awesome) to face off against Abaddon.

This is gonna be good…

Abaddon demands one of her minions take off Crowley’s
head. No-one volunteers. He has comforting words for the silly silly demons who
supported Abaddon and banters with Abaddon. Of course Abaddon wants to settle
this with violence but Crowley consider it an election: hearts and minds,
demons choosing and all that (the World’s Angriest Ginger or Crowley, where
everyone gets a say, a virgin and all the entrails they can eat) before
vanishing.

Meanwhile, Castiel heals Sam’s injuries and, of course,
Sam is furious with Dean. He was ready to die, he made that choice; Dean was beyond
wrong to manipulate him into possession rather than accept his own choice.
Especially since it lead to Kevin’s death. Dean takes the blame for that and
repeats his intention to kill Gadreel – alone.

Because he’s absorbed the message of him being poison – how everyone around him
eventually dies

Of course, Sam doesn’t exactly want Dean around now either – and tells him to
go. But that this whole poison thing isn’t the problem. Dean leaves… Sam and Castiel
watch him

Castiel’s “you were stupid for the right reasons” covers
so much in this show, as does Dean’s response. Ultimately, the reason for the
stupidity doesn’t change the outcome, but how often has this show been
desperately about doing your very best with little knowledge and flawed tools
and utterly screwing up despite meaning the best? In some ways that’s the
cornerstone of Supernatural, doing what they can in less than ideal situations,
sometimes making it worse but always trying to make it better – being stupid
for the right reasons. It works and is powerful – especially when put in the
wider context: because it’s not about saying “well I meant well!” when your
screw ups hurt people or cause chaos. It’s about acknowledging those mistakes
and keeping trying even when you don’t think you can do any good. It’s about
owning the bad things you’ve done and trying to fix them and not letting fear
of screwing up again stopping you trying.

That’s the advantage of having 9 seasons – you have so
much context and texture with which to make statements like that.

Abner, Abner – possessing a human and creating a new
family out of the abuse they used to live – one of love and respect and… yeah,
unless he’s a telling his new wife the truth, he’s still with her under very
false pretences which puts a nasty question mark over consent. It is not ok to pretend
to be someone else when sleeping with someone.

I wouldn’t say that Crowley was a more democratic ruler
of hell – but he was a more efficient one – they got things done, while Abaddon
has one setting: break stuff.

Sam and Dean’s falling out – I honestly aren’t that
fussed. Because this has happened so many times before – they’ve had a rift and
eventually they get over it. Sam’s issues get rocked back and forth for a
while, Dean’s issues get suppressed. Is this the last straw? Maybe… I don’t
know, we shall have to see. Ultimately, Sam has a major point, Dean never has
respected him as an equal fully, on some level, Sam has always been the little
brother, Sam has always been second and, in the end, Dean has always thought he
knew better (of course, generally he does) and that has its limits. Flip side
is, Dean is a deeply damaged co-dependent personality who has managed to keep
his wreck of a mind going by focusing on the job, on helping people and
supporting his little brother lubricated with copious amounts of alcohol: with
none of his issues every addressed over the seasons (as I’ve complained about
before) is it any surprise that he absolutely couldn’t let go of one of the few
anchors he has? His whole reason for wanting to go after Gadreel alone is
because one of those anchors – that he helps people – has been badly shattered.

But I can also see why Sam let Dean go – because Sam is
epicly pissed at Dean and his taking control of every aspect of Sam – and here’s
Dean turning that into his own pity party. Even while I think Dean needed a lot
more pity parties than he’s had – and certainly needed more people to give a
damn than he has had – the time and place is wrong and broken. When you are
epicly – and righteously – pissed at someone, that is not the time for them to
cast themselves as the victim.